The Ninja Book
by HiddenWhiteFang
Summary: A collection of short stories highlighting the lives in between the pages of the manga. Missions, life, death and the love of the shinobi are all contained in pages. What follows are the untold stories and adventures that happened in the day-to-day life of Konoha's finest shinobi and the people they have encountered in their many travels.
1. Episode 1: A Bowl of Ramen (Naruto)

_Author's Note: Welcome to The Ninja Book! This is basically a collection of short stories written as an "in between." These are all made to fit within canon or to be dreams! I don't have an update schedule and each chapter should be its own, isolated story. Sometimes there might be two-parters!_

 _So, the first story was inspired by both the new Naruto ending AND the Konoha Hiden novel. Basically, it's the Ramen Shop owner's story, from Naruto's Point of View! Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own anything!_

 _Naruto: A Bowl of Ramen_

Naruto was out of food. That was the only thing going through the small child's mind as he threw away the last piece of destroyed food from the floor. He had been coming home from a morning walk to find two boys from the Academy in his small apartment. Luckily, they hadn't stolen anything, but that was mostly because there wasn't much to steal.

Naruto bit his lip and sighed deeply. Being out of food wasn't usually a problem. He could just go to the Third Hokage and explain the situation, then within a couple hours, an ANBU would show up with groceries, but today wasn't a normal day. The Third had left the day before for an important journey. He had left the small child with enough food to last him the three weeks the man would be gone, and had left him with enough cash to "get himself something special" if he wanted.

The small child walked to the untouched night stand and opened a hidden drawer where he had placed the small change purse that held the money the Hokage had given him. Naruto counted the coins and bills, and concluded that he could probably live off that for the next few weeks. He knew he could probably ask an ANBU member to just go get him some groceries, but Naruto didn't like to bother them unless it was an emergency. They already hated him; he didn't need that hating him anymore.

"Well, the groceries aren't going to buy themselves!" Naruto said with a wide smile to the empty room. He started for the door, turning out the light. "Bye!" he called to the walls. He smiled and, making sure the door was locked, when on his way to find something to eat.

The village was busy that day. Naruto, for the most part, walked through the streets unseen. Anyone who did notice him side-stepped without giving him another glance and those who did recognize him merely scowled. Some parents pulled their children away from the boy when they made eye contact. One kid waved at him, only to be harshly scolded at by her father.

Naruto never stopped smiling. He even waved at some of the adults who only had looks of disgust and hatred for him. It was during one of those instances that Naruto ran into a member of the ANBU. He looked up at the man and blinked. He had on a kitsune mask. "Watch where you're going, kid," the ANBU snapped.

"Sorry," the boy grumbled.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" the man asked.

Naruto looked away. "Buying food."

"The Third gave you enough to last the three weeks, didn't he? He's only been gone a day."

"Yeah. Some kids broke into my apartment and destroyed it all," Naruto admitted to the ANBU. He didn't expect the man to do anything about it.

"I see…" There was a tightness to the man's voice that Naruto didn't recognize. "Do you know their names?" Naruto nodded, and then told him. "Thanks. Be good, kid." The ma reached down and Naruto flinched away from his hand, but found himself smiling slightly when the gloved hand rested kindly on the top of his head. The ANBU held his hand there for a moment before walking away from the child. Naruto watched him go, shrugged, and then continued his journey.

Finally he came across a convenient store on a stairway. "Why is Konoha so _big?"_ he groaned. He stepped into the store. The shop keeper was busy with another customer, so Naruto ducked deeper inside, darting further into the store. He walked down the aisles, his small hands reaching towards anything that looked good, only to be rejected almost instantly.

Finally he stopped. His hand rested on a prepackaged sweet bun filled with red bean paste. The boy's eyes lit up and he smiled. It wasn't often that he got to do his own shopping. His mind made up, he turned to start for the register. He gasped instead as he was grabbed from behind. Naruto let out a soft cry of surprise. He was spun around and the package fell out of his hand. "What are you doing here?" the shop keeper shouted.

"I can pay for it!" Naruto protested, struggling to be free from the man's grip. He yanked his small arm out of the man's grip and pulled out a handful of coins. "See?"

"Get out!" the man snapped. Naruto bit his lip to keep it from shaking.

"I have money!" Naruto squeaked, but the man simply pointed to the door.

"Your money's no good here, brat." Naruto stared up at the man and frowned. His stomach growled, breaking the awkward silence between them. The man crossed his arms and looked at the door.

Naruto bowed his head, defeated. He started for the door in silence, holding his stomach as it growled again. Once outside, he turned back to look through the glass door. Though he hadn't cried during the encounter, his hand shook as he placed it on the glass. The shop keeper bent down to pick up the fallen sweet bun. A look of disgust and anger crossed his face and he threw the item in the trash.

While not all encounters went so poorly, Naruto barely managed to find places that would take his money, but he did manage to feed himself enough. Many times during those few weeks, Naruto would walk aimlessly through the village. It wasn't often that he got to be out and about. Many times he would walk passed a ramen shop. It was always crowded and he would find himself peeking inside more often than not, but he always darted away before the owner saw him. Many times he wanted to try the ramen there, but fear of being kicked out kept him from walking inside. He liked ramen, but he was sure the owner would be like so many others and shoo him away, so he was content with watching silently outside. A few times, he approached the store before running off. Some other shop would take his money.

Naruto looked up at the sky on that particular evening and sighed. Night was approaching, and so was a storm. He shook slightly in the cool air, hugging his thin arms around his thin body. The Third would be back the next morning and then he would be able to tell the man what had happened, though Naruto was sure the Hokage didn't really care.

He did, however, have a few coins left, enough to buy something. The walk back to his apartment would take a little while and it would be good to have something hot to eat. He stopped at another store that he knew would let him in. He poked his head inside. The shop owner, an older woman, offered him a ghost of a smile. He knew it. It was one full of pity, not happiness. Some of the elders smiled at him like that. They knew who he was and would pity him; but not enough to offer anything but that smile.

Naruto nodded and darted into the store, straight to the back where some beef buns were steaming. He looked around quickly. The shop was empty. He smiled and took the tongs to grab the largest bun. With it securely wrapped in paper, he made his way to the drink section. Perhaps he had enough for a bottled drink…

"Hurry up, kid!" the shop owner snapped. Naruto turned quickly towards her. She seemed to be in earnest, so he gave up his search for a drink. It was too cold for one, anyway. As swiftly as he could, he hurried to the counter and placed the last of his money on the counter. The woman took it quickly, making quick glances at the door. She gave him his change; a single coin. _Guess I didn't have enough for a drink anyway._ Naruto thought as he took it. "Go out the back," he was instructed.

"Yes ma'am," he muttered. He held his large bun and hurried out the back door. A quick peak back in the store revealed that the two boys from the academy had entered the store just as he had left.

Naruto smiled. His prize was so big he had to hold ii in both hands. The bun in his hands warmed his body as he walked down the mostly deserted streets. The storm would hit soon and he wanted to make it home before that happened. He took a bite of the hot bun and smiled even wider, happily walking down the street.

"Well, well. If it isn't Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. He recognized that voice. "Hey," he growled softly, holding his food a little closer to his body. He turned to see another kid from the academy and his two friends.

"Where'd you get that?" the leader asked.

"He probably stole it," his friend teased.

"Did not!" Naruto defended hotly, his face already turning red.

"I bet you did. No one would sell anything to a little brat like you!"

"I paid for it!" Naruto snapped.

"Sure you did. We believe you," the first mocked. He pushed Naruto and he stumbled back, but managed to stay standing.

"I have to get home," Naruto said quietly.

"Home? Home to what?" the first boy asked. "Home to that empty, depressing house? Ha! Why? There's no one waiting for you there!"

Naruto bit his lip, shaking. "Why don't you get a dog or something?"

"No dog would stay with him anyway, so what's the point?"

"Stop it," Naruto whimpered. He just wanted to get away from these kids. He turned to leave, but found his path blocked by the kid who hadn't said anything yet. He spun to run, but his hand was grabbed. The beef bun fell from his hands and into the dust below. Naruto narrowed his eyes and aimed a punch at the boy holding his arm, only to be grabbed by the other two. A fist impacted his stomach and Naruto doubled over. They released him so he could drop to his hands and knees.

"Hey!" a voice shouted. "Leave him alone, you big jerks!" Naruto didn't see who was calling out to the bullies. He only stared at the food on the ground. Half of him even considered picking it up and finishing it. He didn't have the money to buy anything else. "You okay?" He still ignored the voice of his savior. He reached for the beef bun, only to be stopped by a rain drop hitting his hand. Well, there went that idea. He stood and walked away, not even looking at the one who had chased off the bullies.

The rain was cold and the night was cold. It wasn't long before he was soaked through. _I probably should have said something to that person,_ he thought. _Maybe said thank you or something._ He wondered aimlessly through the streets. He didn't want to go home. The bullies were right. He had no one to go home to.

When he finally became aware of his surroundings, it was late and the storm had died down to a shower. Naruto found himself staring at the ramen shop. He smiled. _I really am hungry,_ he thought. He walked towards the shop, approaching it from the side. He poked his head under the flap and breathed the smell of ramen. Warmth flooded from the store, even though it was empty. The shop owner had his back to the front of the store. If anything, Naruto could hang out for a minute before venturing back into the cold night.

He stiffened when the man turned around. He seemed to notice Naruto and cocked his head. "Hey, you…" he started.

Naruto gasped and ran from the front of the store, back into the rain. He didn't get far, though, before he stopped. _He didn't sound angry,_ Naruto reasoned with himself. _But he probably doesn't want me in there. No one wants me in their store._ He clenched his fists and stood in the downpour. In front of him was the way to his house. He could take some back alleys and be there within a few minutes. Behind him was a shop with a man who had called out to him. _He didn't sound angry…_

Naruto nodded. He turned and walked back to the shop. He stepped inside, but stayed back, holding his right arm with his left hand. His whole body was trembling. _He didn't sound angry…_ The shop owner merely smiled down at the boy and gave him his space. He motioned to a bar stool. Naruto seemed confused for a moment. After realizing that he was meant to sit down, he walked slowly up to the counter. The shaking got worse the closer he got to the bar.

He had to climb up onto the barstool and he sat there, staring at the counter, refusing to look at the man who had offered him a seat. His eyes instantly lit up as a massive bowl of ramen was placed in his field of vision. Naruto looked up at the man. He grabbed the chopsticks and smiled. "Itadakimasu!" he exclaimed.

As he ate the ramen, more than just the warmth of the ramen filled him. When he finished, he put the bowl down and smiled widely. The smile, however, faded. He had eaten the bowl of ramen, but now he had no way to pay for it. "Here… How about… This one is on the shop."

Naruto looked up at the man, his eyes wide. The man smiled down at him and Naruto suddenly felt heat rise to his cheeks. There was no hint of pity in the man's smile, but that wasn't what startled him. His eyes showed none of the hatred that most people stared at him. Even when the Third smiled at him, it was sad, as if he knew something Naruto didn't. But this smile and the way he looked down on the tiny child was something Naruto had never seen before. It was warm… welcoming… kind… Naruto returned the man's smile.

For the first time in his life, someone was looking at _him;_ not through him to some unknown past that he knew nothing about. Someone was seeing him and smiling at him.

It took a while for Naruto to even think about leaving. "See you…" Naruto muttered finally. The two had been in mostly silence, waiting for the storm to stop.

"Be careful, son," the owner warned.

"Th-thanks," Naruto said with a wide smile. "Can I… come tomorrow?"

"You can come back here whenever you want, kid!"

Naruto nodded and darted out of the shop. The cold air didn't bother him. He felt warm inside and the cold wouldn't ruin that…

* * *

Kakashi sighed deeply. He looked at the door when it opened. "Come in, Kakashi." The man nodded slowly. He knew what this was about.

"Yes, Lord Third?" Kakashi asked.

"You and I have to talk about you harassing some Academy students…"

 _Fin_

 _Author's Note: Oh, Kakashi! Hope you all enjoyed this!_


	2. Episode 2: The Gravedigger (Kakashi)

Episode Two: The Gravedigger

It was a solemn occasion. Everyone in the village was getting ready for the funeral. Soon there would be a gathering of black clad ninja and civilians alike as they came to mourn their third leader. Anyone able bodied would attend the funeral, and those who were unable would offer their prayers. Some would not come, but everyone had been invited.

Everyone, except an elderly man. He stood alone in the grey morning, staring up at the sky as the sun was being covered by dark storm clouds. While everyone had slept in their beds, safe now because of the lives that had been lost, he had already been awake for hours. His brown clothes were dirty and drenched in sweat and dirt.

He stared down at the hole that he had finished and then to the many holes that he had been digging for the better part of the early morning. He was a gravedigger and had been for over fifty years. Long ago, they had tried to give his job to earth style ninja. It would have been easier for them all if someone could just do their hand signs and there would be a circular hole for the coffin.

But the gravedigger had refused. He had learned from a master and he had wanted to continue the tradition. He believed that a jutsu-dug grave held no significance. It was impersonal, cold and cruel. There would no longer be respect. The gravediggers prayed for the dead of each grave they dug. They offered the final burial rights. They were sometimes the only one to attend a funeral or to mourn the dead. To them, there were no enemies, no disgrace, just the equality of the inevitable. Death was the great equalizer and the gravediggers were the only ones who witnessed it.

The elderly man walked down the line of bodies. The one of the Hokage was not included in the line. He counted the bodies, then the coffins, then the holes. He was left with one hole to dig. As he walked to the last body of the line, he prayed for the one final soul to any god who was listening. He closed his eyes and broke the ground. As he did so, he turned to the wooden coffins. There was a haunting beauty to them. The hand crafted structures were made with care, just like the graves that he dug. Once, he had made the coffins as well, but he had long since taken on an apprentice.

Death too had a strange beauty to it. The Gravedigger had always found the dead to be perfect. No matter how they died, they were all peaceful in their death, and he often envied them in their peace. While he enjoyed his life, he often wondered what the peace of death was like. Being a digger in a ninja village, he saw many different bodies with many different ways to die. He saw them in all ages and saw funerals that were private and quite to ones that held the entire village. As he continued digging in the darkening morning, he remembered the strangest funeral he had ever done…

 **Break**

The gravedigger had been sleeping when the knock came to his door. He cracked his eyes open and stumbled to the door, opening it slightly. He was instantly awake when he realized that it was a member of the ANBU waiting for him. Thee door opened wider. Had a member of the ANBU died? Even so, the ninja would not be masked. "There is a body," the masked ninja grunted, "at the morgue. Wear your cloak and veil. The sheets have already been prepared."

The gravedigger blinked and the ANBU was gone. His shoulder dropped slightly. Even though he had been at this position for twenty years or so already, he had only once encountered the occasion that he needed his black cloak and veil for, and even then, it was during his apprenticeship. He remembered his master telling his to tread carefully if this should ever happen again. He was not to ask questions or draw attention to the dead. He was not even to speak unless spoken directly to by someone at the hospital. The name of the shinobi was not even to be known.

The gravedigger quickly changed into the uniform and made his way silently to the morgue. The dawn was cold and unforgiving, barely giving up the downpour that had ended only an hour or so ago. He walked through the mist and into the hospital. No doctor spoke to him as he went to the table where the body lay. He looked over the naked body and sighed. The man was not young, but was not quite old. The single, precise wound on his belly came at a strange angle for an enemy. The man's eyes widened as understanding. He bowed his head, then began cleaning the blood off of the body to prepare it for burial.

When it was clean, the man moved the body to the cart and placed a black sheet over the body and a black towel over the head. As silent as a ghost, he moved into the streets of the village. Anyone he passed bowed their heads in respect. He knew they did not know that this body had apparently did not deserve the respect they were giving him. He passed the path that led to the graveyard that would grow with the years. This body had a place, but it was not there. He continued through the gates of the village and onward until he came to a small plot of land with unmarked graves.

The stones on the graves had no name. They were there only to make sure they were not disturbed. He picked a spot. There was already a coffin waiting for him. He closed his eyes and began digging, praying for the man's troubled soul to find peace.

"Are you going to mark it?"

The man gasped and spun around. A young boy, around the age of seven, stood near-by, watching with mild interest. He wore all black and the mask covering his face was wet.

"No," the gravedigger answered.

"Why not?"

"Graves here aren't marked, boy," he answered.

"Why not?"

"Because the ones buried here were deemed unworthy to be buried in the main graveyard."

"Why?" the boy asked simply. The man stopped his work to examine the child more closely.

"I don't know. I don't ask questions," he answered finally.

"Oh."

The two lapsed back into silence as the man continued digging. The morning moved forward as the sun rose, chasing away the last of the misty remains of the earlier storm. Finally he turned to the body and knelt before it to perform the final burial rites. "Why do you do that?" the boy asked.

"To pray for the soul, so that he may find the afterlife."

"Does he deserve it?" the boy asked.

"I don't ask those questions," he answered. "Did you know him?"

"He was my father," the boy said coldly. The man looked up at the child.

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "My dad was a fool," he snapped. The gravedigger stared, dumbfounded. "I'm glad he's dead."

The gravedigger had no words for the child. He merely finished the burial rites, then went to lift the body. A small hand grabbed his arm, stopping him. The boy knelt beside the body, gripping the dark sheet angrily. The mask he wore was becoming soaked with tears. "Why?" the child screamed suddenly, angrily. "Was I not enough for you dad?! Did I mean nothing? Were their words all that mattered to you?! Didn't _I_ matter?! How could you leave me like this?"

The gravedigger bowed his head in remorse as the boy wept over the body of his father. He waited several moments before placing a hand on the young child's shoulder. "Enough, boy, there is no point in yelling at the dead."

"H-how… How do you do this?" the child sobbed.

"Hm?"

The boy took a moment to regain his composure and stop his shaking. "How do you dig graves?" he asked again, more composed. "Isn't it hard?"

The gravedigger stared down at the child and closed his eyes. Once, when he was young, the emotions of the deceased's family had gotten to him. He had wept as he buried a child, taken by an illness, or a young man whose life had been cut short by the blade of another. He had said that life was not fair. His master had watched him silently. He was never berated for his actions. His master merely watched as the child who had wept for so many found the beauty and peace that death brought. "Do not weep for the dead," he would say, "but pity those still living."

"Digging the graves is very difficult," he said, "especially when there are so many, but the labor is almost like meditation."

"Does it ever bother you?"

"It used to," the man answered truthfully.

"But it got easier?" the boy asked hopefully. The gravedigger looked away from the child and closed his eyes in thought.

"No, it never gets easier," he muttered. "Easier is not what you need. Understanding is what you need. You need to understand and find solace that your father has finally found peace in death."

"But he left me," the boy whimpered.

"Death cares not by which hand it is delivered. Your father has found his peace."

"But… what about _my_ peace?" the boy asked.

"You will find it, child," the gravedigger whispered. "Or it will find you."

 **Break**

The gravedigger saw that boy again and again, attending funerals and visiting graves. For a while he did not visit the final resting place of Hatake Sakumo, but, about seven or eight years after the lonely grave had been dug, and time had overgrown the small graveyard for the disgraced, the gravedigger returned to the plot of land. He had neglected it over time, having no reason to return, but that day, he had felt compelled to come to the yard.

He had brought all the tools needed to clear the overgrown plants and had come early that morning, prepared for a long day of gardening and repairing the old fence that was most likely rotted. As he turned from the path to the clearing he stopped, his eyes wide. He looked over at the single, tall stone with a name carved down it in careful calligraphy; the only marked grave. The gravedigger smiled as he placed the tools onto the ground. He did not need them.

The boy, it seemed, had found his peace.


	3. Episode 3: Tormented (Sasuke)

_Author's note: No, I haven't forgotten about this story! Just haven't had much inspiration for an episode! But then I was given a prompt! Sorry it;s kind of tiny, though!_

 _Episode Three: Tormented_

"Foolish little brother…" Itachi's laugh was without humor. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his grip on his sword tightening until the wood began to crack. "Have you learned nothing?"

Sasuke tried to inhale, but his chest was tight and his heart pounded against his ribs to the point where it physically hurt him. He screamed and swung the weapon, but as he made contact with the long cloak, the man before him burst into a flurry of black feathers and crimson eyes. Sasuke covered his face as the ravens flew upwards towards the sky. "Itachi!" he shouted angrily, but his brother was gone.

Cursing, Sasuke released his death grip on the weapon and looked around the barren wasteland. Nothing seemed to have color except for the eyes of the ravens that he could barely see anymore. He groaned and turned around, wiping blood on the white training robe that he had been given. He began walking, swinging the sword in front of him in agitation. The grass crumbled beneath his feet, leaving a trail of dead ground where ever he walked.

He continued until he felt better, and then he started dragging his sword behind him, splitting the ground where the tip touched. It had been a year, and his progress had been stunted; or at least that's what he thought. Sasuke sighed and his breath seemed to form fire. He wandered aimlessly through the greyscale world.

"Sasuke!"

The Uchiha stopped suddenly and looked up. "Orochimaru," he said quietly. The man stood on top of a hill, his pitch black hair blowing in the wind. "What has your training done?!" he shouted. "I still can't beat Itachi!" Sasuke hurled a kunai at Orochimaru, who dodged it expertly.

"You won't get anywhere with that aim, Uchiha," he teased.

"Then train me!" Sasuke growled angrily.

"Very well, Uchiha, very well." Orochimaru lunged at his student and Sasuke moved back swiftly, swinging his sword. Orochimaru dodged it, his smile never leaving his face. The man bit into his thumb and slammed his palms on the ground. Snakes erupted from the ground. Sasuke gasped and did several backflips to avoid the dripping fangs. His eyes widened as a particularly large one reached for his throat. Sasuke swiftly plunged his blade into the snake's mouth, splitting it in two.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Sasuke growled. Suddenly Orochimaru was behind him.

"Child, I don't have to try," he hissed in Sasuke's ear. Sasuke gasped and scrambled away from his sensei. The snakes were gone. Orochimaru dropped into a fighting stance that Sasuke mirrored. The two clashed in a taijutsu battle. Orochimaru moved and attacked and Sasuke blocked expertly. Their movements perfectly matched each other. Sasuke spun his blade and stopped centimeters from decapitating the teacher.

"Forget about revenge…"

Sasuke gasped and stumbled back. The weapon fell to the ground as Orochimaru was replaced with Kakashi. "What do you know about it?!" Sasuke shouted over the increasing wind. "You know nothing about this!"

"Look," Kakashi said calmly, "I know what it's like to lose people, Sasuke." Even though his voice was calm and almost quiet, Sasuke had no trouble hearing him over the raging wind. "Revenge leaves you empty! There is no version of this where you will gain anything!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted.

"Just listen," Kakashi said.

"Don't go!"

Sasuke turned. "Sakura?"

The girl stood before him. He was a year older than her now and several centimeters taller. Tears streamed down her face. As if on cue, the clouds made good on their threats and it started raining. "Don't leave!" Sakura begged him, her voice cracking. "I love you!"

"How?!" Sasuke shouted back, clenching his fist. "How can you love me?!" Sakura walked towards him. Sasuke tried to step back, but his legs wouldn't work. She grabbed his hand and looked at him, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Sasuke reached forward and held her cheek, wiping her tears with his thumb.

Sasuke blinked as blood mixed with the tears and rain. He looked at her face and blood fell from her eyes and mouth. Suddenly a sword was thrusted through her chest and into his own heart. She fell on him. "Y-you…" she whispered weakly, but then her voice turned chilling. "You lack hatred…"

Sasuke screamed and pulled away from Sakura. Before him stood Itachi again. Sasuke howled in rage and started swinging at his brother. The weapon that he didn't remember recovering sliced through Itachi's body without leaving a scratch.

"You cannot defeat me. You are too weak. You can't do the one thing it will take to win…"

"Shut up!" Sasuke screamed, almost frantic. He swung blindly, tears mixing with the rain and sweat and blood that stained his training robe. His whole body was shaking, but no matter how hard he tried, his weapon left no mark and cut no skin.

Frustrated, he threw the sword and his hand began to spark. "There is only one way to defeat me, brother… One way to gain the power you so desire…"

"We'll see," Sasuke snapped and lunged forward. His hand passed effortlessly through flesh and bone and he felt warm, sticky blood cover his arm and hand. He smirked until he realized that he was staring at a wall of orange. Horror took him and Sasuke ripped his hand from Naruto's chest.

The blonde boy smiled as blood poured from his mouth. "Are you happy now?" Naruto asked quietly. Sasuke stumbled back as Naruto crashed to the floor. Sasuke followed him to the ground, holding his stomach. His eyes began to burn. He clawed at them as their pattern changed.

"This is how you defeat a monster," Itachi whispered, "by becoming one…"

* * *

Sasuke woke, trembling and drenched in sweat. He rolled over to stare at the wall. His breathing was heavy and irregular. He rolled out of bed, standing on shaking legs. It had all seemed so real. He thought he could feel the blood staining his hands or his eyes burning.

As he walked out of the room, he spotted Kabuto coming towards him. "Oh, you're up! Good!" The medic looked at Sasuke for a moment. "You look unwell," he observed. "Are you feeling alright?"

Sasuke looked at Kabuto as if he didn't recognize the man, then he shook his head. "Have you ever had a dream that, while it was happening, it all seemed normal and natural, but when you woke up, you realized how screwed up it was?" Sasuke asked in a raspy voice.

Kabuto blinked and pondered the question. Instead of answering, he responded with a question of his own; "Are you well, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed after a moment. "I will be," he muttered, pushing passed Kabuto. "I will be…"

 _Author's Note: This was a short one! Sorry, but it was fun! Hope you enjoyed it!_


	4. Episode 4: Forgotten (Boruto)

_Author's note: This episode was inspired by a single quote I found while reading the Boruto novel. "When Naruto let Boruto's own birthday pass while caught up with work, it was unforgivable…" This episode highlights that little event._

 _Episode Four: Forgotten_

Naruto was discussing plans for the upcoming Chuunin Exams. It was a long, time consuming process. He was on a conference call with Gaara. He was talking with Shikamaru about trivial things. He was helping an elderly civilian locate her grandchild's house. Naruto was everywhere at once, except where he needed to be. The original body was home, staring blankly at a book that he had been attempting to read, though he hadn't changed the page in over thirty minutes. He was sure he had read this line before, but he couldn't remember, so he read it again. He lifted his gaze when Hinata walked into the room, and he tried to listen as she began discussing something. He ended up staring as blankly at her as he had at the book.

"Naruto? Naruto, sweetie… Are you listening?"

Naruto blinked and shook his head. "Y-yeah. I got it." He offered her a weary grin. In truth, he hadn't heard a word she said. His mind was in twenty different places and the plans for the Chuunin Exams were getting heated as someone mentioned something that had insulted the ambassador from the Cloud Village and Naruto's clone was trying to calm everyone.

Hinata knew this, and she understood, but their children wouldn't. But now she had his attention, so she made her point quickly. "Anyway, it's Boruto's birthday tomorrow, so I need you to try to be at least half there." Meaning that she didn't expect him to stop working, but maybe tone down the number of clones running through the village for a couple hours.

Naruto smiled widely. "I'll do it!" he promised. Hinata returned his enthusiastic grin with a sad smile. She had less faith in her husband than he had in himself, it seemed, but Naruto didn't notice it. At that exact moment, one of his clones had vanished and he was flooded with two hours of conversation with Gaara. He put that information to deal with later. He had a headache that threatened to kill off all his clones, but the night was still young. He wouldn't be in bed that night until later; if at all.

 _You cannot keep this up, kit,_ the fox grumbled in his head.

"Shut up," Naruto growled, rubbing his head.

He realized that he had said that out loud and Hinata had been trying to talk to their daughter. Both turned to him with their eyes wide. "S-sorry," Naruto whispered sheepishly. "I was talking to Kurama."

"Tell him I say hi!" Himawari said with a grin, but Hinata had no grin. Naruto turned away. She was angry at him.

 _Maybe I should call it a night,_ he thought. The choice to excuse himself went out to the clones and they followed the order. One memory stuck out to Naruto after the clones vanished. It was Shikamaru. He had looked the clone directly in his face.

" _You work too hard, Naruto."_ He wasn't talking to the clone. He was talking through it to the man behind the clone. _"You can't keep doing this to yourself. I'm worried about you."_

 _Told you,_ Kurama grunted. Naruto stood, rubbing his head. Hinata moved to him, holding him close. Himawari had left the room. She ran her hand through his hair.

"You look sick," she whispered.

"I'm fine." Naruto forced a smile, but he rested his head on her shoulder and allowed her to rock for a moment, closing his eyes. Hinata kissed him on the cheek.

"Get some rest, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and started for the bedroom, practically stumbling down the hall. Hinata watched him go with a worried expression.

* * *

Boruto hadn't expected his father to show up. It didn't surprise him, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He hadn't wanted a party or anything special, and his mother had complied with his wishes. She had made him his favorite meal and dessert, but one dish had long since gone cold. Boruto pushed around his half eaten food. Himawari wasn't at the table anymore.

It wasn't that he had pouted the entire meal. He laughed with his mother and sister as they talked about their days. He listened intently as Himawari told him about one of her classmates who she might have a crush on and how he had helped her with her kunai training. Boruto laughed softly, knowing that Himawari had better aim than even he did. He kept a smile and a brave face the entire meal even though, deep inside, he was weeping.

Hinata walked passed him as she cleared the table. He offered her a strained grin. "You did well tonight," she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

"I don't want your apology," Boruto snapped. He hadn't meant for it to be rude, but the annoyance he felt changed his tone. It wasn't fair to take out his anger on his mother. He knew that. He understood that. What he didn't understand was how the Hokage could forget his own son's birthday.

Hinata smiled softly at him. "I know." She understood too. Boruto stood and took the plates from his mother's hands and went to the kitchen to clean them. Hinata moved to clean the table and sweep. The two worked in silence. Boruto was angry at his dad, and Hinata was disappointed in her husband. He was a child and she was an adult. He thought, as he looked around the room, that he hated his father. She, however, knew she loved her husband.

But both, in that silent moment, despised the Hokage.

Boruto finished the dishes and went upstairs, ignoring his mother's call to tell him good night. He fell onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, finally allowing his tears to fall. He didn't weep like he wanted to. He cried softly.

After a while, the door opened downstairs. Boruto froze. "You're impossible," Hinata snapped at the visitor. "I can't believe you did this!"

"S-sorry…" Boruto's father muttered softly. Boruto didn't hear the excuse.

"You need to go talk to him!" There was a mumbled response. "I don't care!" Hinata snapped. "Go apologize to your son!" Another reply. "No, he probably won't!"

Boruto stiffened as he heard his dad walk up the stairs. He grabbed a magazine and opened it, trying to hide his face. He didn't notice it was upside down. The door opened. "Hey, Boruto," the man muttered awkwardly. Boruto looked over the book to his father and frowned. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked exhausted. In his hand was a carefully wrapped gift. "Look… I just… I'm sorry…"

"I don't care," Boruto cut him off angrily.

"I didn't forget," he said quickly.

"I really don't care," Boruto repeated. "You can leave."

"I'd really like to talk to you about this."

"About what?" Boruto snapped, hiding his face because he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "About how being Hokage is more important than being my dad? Or how you love the village more than your family? Or maybe how you don't care about me or Himawari?"

"Boruto, that's not-"

"Then what is it?" Boruto shouted. "What makes you do this? What was so important that you couldn't take an hour out of being Hokage to be a dad?! That's all I'm asking for, Hokage- _sama!"_ He knew he was being immature, but he spat the word out as if it tasted bitter and sour. "Get out!"

They stayed in silence for a moment, then his father bowed his head. "I just wanted to say-"

But the clone never got the words out. Boruto reached out and caught the gift before it fell to the floor. "Couldn't even take five minutes to apologize properly," Boruto growled. He hurled the present against the wall. He heard it break and watched it fall to the ground. "You're an idiot." Who it was directed to, he wasn't sure. He picked up the destroyed gift and threw it in the trash where it would remain, unopened.

* * *

Naruto had lost concentration for a second. In one second, he dozed off for just a blink, but it was enough for each and every clone he had around the village to vanish, letting anyone know that he was no longer focused. Naruto stared down at the paperwork that he had been filling out when he fell asleep, but he couldn't read it through blurry eyes.

The door swung open and Shikamaru ran in. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Naruto lifted his head slowly. "I'm fine. Why are you hear?"

"Your clone vanished. I was worried something had happened, is all."

Naruto replayed the moments he had shared with Boruto in his head. Something had happened, after all. "I'm really messing up, Shikamaru," Naruto admitted softly. He placed his elbows on his desk and laced his fingers together before resting his aching head on his hands. He closed his eyes and almost fell asleep then. He wanted everyone to be safe and happy. He wanted everything to be perfect. He fought to maintain their hard-won peace so that his children never had to experience what it was like to stare death in the face or cry because you knew your life was over. He fought so hard so his children didn't have to understand why he fought so hard.

Shikamaru rushed forward to catch Naruto's head as he lost his train of consciousness again so it didn't slam against the desk. Naruto sat up, shaking his head slowly. "Go home, Naruto-san," Shikamaru whispered.

"Yeah… I'll be on my way soon." Shikamaru nodded and left. Naruto rested his head on his desk and never made it home that night.

 _[Fin]_

 _Author's note: Naruto is so sad! Also, I love Boruto! Hope you liked it!_


	5. Episode 4 Pt 2: Who Told You To Leave?

_Author's Note: So apparently ya'll wanted me to do a follow-up to Episode 4. Unfortunately, since this is meant to fit in the confines of canon, I can't fix Naruto and Boruto's relationship in_ the Ninja Book. _That's the movie's job. However, I can give you a little more about their family! Maybe I'll actually write some happy stories about the family!_

 _Warning: This episode is kind of_ _dark. If you don't want to "watch" it, then skip it. I will give a summary of what happened at the end._

 _Episode 4.5: Who Told You to Leave?_

Boruto hated his father. He was certain of that. No matter what anyone told him, his dad was a terrible person. _Anyone can be Hokage,_ he thought angrily, clenching his fists. _It doesn't have to be him! It can literally be_ anyone! _Why does it have to be him?!_

Boruto stood from his bed. His father was at the Hokage mansion, most likely. He hadn't heard his dad come in and hadn't been to sleep. His mother and sister had long since gone to bed and the house was dark. Thunder rolled outside. Boruto walked out of the house, popping his collar against the chilly wind. He hugged himself and started into the dead of night. The village wasn't dark, but no one was out that night as a massive storm rolled in.

Boruto ran swiftly through the streets of the village until he made it to the mansion. He didn't bother knocking or dealing with guards. He walked directly into the office. He father was slumped on his desk. "Why haven't you gone home?" Boruto snapped at the man. "Mom's all worried, you know?" Boruto glared at his father. He had come to yell at the man, but seeing him so exhausted made Boruto change his mind. "Come on, dad. Let's get you home."

He walked over to the desk and placed a hand on his dad's shoulder, shaking him slightly. Naruto didn't move. "Dad?" Boruto asked. He shook the man a little harder and gasped as the man slumped over. He wasn't breathing. "Dad!" Boruto screamed. "I need help!" ANBU rushed in the room, shoving the child away. Boruto closed his eyes, shaking violently. "Daddy…"

* * *

Suicide.

They weren't officially calling it that, but Boruto heard the people whisper around the village. They talked about how the man couldn't handle it anymore. Being Hokage was a stressful job. Boruto heard some talk about how they knew that they Kyuubi brat would never be able to handle it. It amazed Boruto how quickly the villagers turned to hatred. Boruto had stood with a flat expression as they buried his father. He was the only one who didn't cry… not because he didn't care, but because he didn't know _how_ to grieve. He understood that crying didn't help and nothing fixed it. Nothing made this okay.

What was worse than the rumors that it had been suicide were the rumors that Boruto himself caused it. It didn't matter to them that he was just fed up with the whole thing. All they knew was how he scorned and hated his father in public and behind closed doors. He had made his father feel like a failure.

He had, in their eyes, murdered the Seventh Hokage.

Boruto shoved his hands into his pockets. He still wore his mourning clothes, even though it had been a week already. As he walked through the village, he heard their whispers and their scornful looks burned him. He wanted to shout out at them, but he held his tongue. He had to endure. Just like he had to endure the way his mother wouldn't look at him and his sister would only cry.

No one cared how _he_ was grieving. Boruto shook his head angrily. He wasn't sure why he was angry. Did his dad have no right to leave him like this? He didn't know, and frankly, didn't care. He looked up at the rock on the mountain and wrinkled his nose. He scoffed and continued walking down the street, trying to ignore the villagers.

He stopped suddenly and waved at Sarada. She turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "Boruto," she greeted. Her voice was like ice, making Boruto flinch.

"Hey," he muttered, but she turned away from him. "What?!" Boruto shouted.

"You know what," Sarada snapped, but he didn't. He didn't understand. He didn't ask for any of this! He didn't ask for his father to die. Still, the tears refused to come, even though he needed them to.

"No, I don't! Why don't you tell me?" Boruto shouted, feeling his stomach tighten. He felt sick. Why did they all blame him? It wasn't his fault! "He was my father, you know!" he screamed.

"Like that means anything to you," Shikadai muttered. Boruto spun to see his two friends walking towards them. Boruto narrowed his eyes. He didn't understand it! Why did they all think he didn't care? He was hurting! His stomach lurched and he felt like throwing up. They were all looking at him like some heartless monster. That wasn't it at all! He wanted to scream at them, but something held him back… some sort of self-doubt.

Boruto pushed passed them and could hear them talking about him as he stormed away, pushing his hands deeper into his pocket. It was _stupid._ "You're stupid," he growled angrily. He looked up as thunder rolled, threatening another storm. "Well, that's just _perfect!"_ he shouted.

He didn't care as the rain fell down on him. He didn't bother looking for shelter. "I hate this!" he shouted at the sky. "I didn't want you to _leave!"_ There was no answer. No one was there to comfort him. Even his own family treated him like he had done it on purpose. Someone passed him with a glare and something inside Boruto snapped. He took off running through the muddy streets to get away from it; away from the villagers that hated him and the carving that would stare down at him.

He stumbled and fell onto the street, but there was no one there to help him. He stood, shaking violently. "I didn't want you to leave!" He screamed again. "I wanted you here! Why did you think I wanted you gone?!"

 _Because you said it._

A chill went through the child's spine at the realization. He _had_ said it… But he hadn't meant it. He hadn't wanted his dad to leave. The unopened gift flashed through his mind. It was long gone by now. "I should have opened it," he muttered. "I should have opened it!" He dropped to his knees and turned his face to the sky. Hot tears fell down his cheeks and he screamed. He didn't know how to deal with this. How did _anyone_ deal with this?! It felt like he was alone in the world and instead of having people there to comfort him, all he had was disdain and hatred from his fellow villagers.

Boruto grabbed his head and curled onto his knees as he cried. _How does someone deal with this?_ He asked silently. _How do you walk away from this?!_

Suddenly he wasn't getting wet anymore. Boruto blinked. It was still raining, but someone had placed an umbrella to cover his weeping, pathetic form. He looked up…

* * *

Boruto gasped and sat up in bed, crying heavily. For several moments, all he could do was stay in a tight ball, frozen by the vivid dream he had experienced.

After several minutes, he began to calm down. _It was just a dream,_ he thought shakily. _Just… a dream…_ He fell back into the bed and stared up at the ceiling. It had felt so real. He was drenched, but in a cold sweat. Boruto sighed and rolled over on his bed to stare at the broken gift in the garbage bin. He rolled out of the bed and stumbled towards the gift. It was broken, but he opened it anyway, holding it carefully.

A smile spread across his tear-stained face as he stared down at the broken gift in his hands. "Stupid old man," he whispered, but there was a teasing tone in his voice.

 _Author's Note: I couldn't change the status quo too much by the end because I kind of still need him in the place he is at the beginning of the film. However, I think this still sets up the film, because dreams can be forgotten in the light of anger and disappointment._

 _Anyway, all that really happened in this episode is Boruto had a dream that Naruto committed suicide and everyone acted like he had caused it. It was kind of an attempt to give Boruto a taste of what Naruto went through as a child. No, I won't tell you what the gift was._


	6. Episode 5: Post Traumatic (Naruto)

_Author's Note: This was inspired by the Teen Titans episode,_ Haunted. _Enjoy!_

 _Episode Five: Post Traumatic_

Naruto sat on the bed, his face buried in his trembling hand. His bare back was covered in a chilling, cold sweat and he couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes, no matter how hard he tried. Hinata slept peacefully beside him, unaware of the pain that tore through a limb that wasn't there anymore. Naruto turned his eyes to the bandaged stump. His prosthetic limb had been damaged in a recent mission and Sakura was working on healing it. Until then, he had elected to go without.

And that was when the nightmares and the pain had started. He had always heard of shinobi who had come back from war with terrible nightmares that kept them up at night, and he had considered himself lucky that he had no lasting mental damage from the Great War. That was changing, however. With each wave of pain, he couldn't stop his whole body from clenching.

Naruto shook his head and went to settle down beside Hinata, but instead of sleeping, he ended up staring up at the ceiling fan in hopes of finding some sort of peace there. None came. Morning came instead and Naruto laid in bed as Hinata moved to prepare for the day. "I have a mission," she said.

"That's good," Naruto answered with a smile. The pain was almost unbearable, but he bore it with a smile. "Will you be back tonight?"

Hinata shook her head. "No," she answered as she pulled off her white nightgown. Naruto felt heat rise to his face and he looked away from her. He still couldn't believe that someone like her could love a fool like him. They had already been married for six months and he still was in awe of the situation. "Unfortunately the mission will be over night." Naruto felt a wave of fear go through him. It would be the first night he would spend alone since the dreams had started.

Hinata misinterpreted his look of fear for disappointment. She sat beside him. "I wish you could go," she said quietly. Naruto smiled and leaned on her for comfort. "But Sakura wants you to stay in the village until your new arm is ready."

Naruto looked at the damaged limb. "It's ugly," he muttered.

Hinata frowned. He had never thought of the limb as anything different. He had adjusted quickly to the new one and didn't seem too upset about it. This was the first time he had ever said anything negative about it.

Hinata kissed his cheek and stroked his hair. "No, it's not," she whispered. She touched the arm and Naruto pulled away from her. She studied him for a moment. Something was wrong. "I don't think I should go on this mission."

"N-no!" Naruto gasped. "Go on your mission! I'm just tired, is all!" He kissed her lips and nodded.

"If you're sure…"

"I'm positive!" Naruto said. They needed the money. Even though he was a hero of the village, he didn't want to be treated any different. He insisted on paying his rent, and buying things that they would gladly give to him for free. Hinata supported that choice and they had agreed to build a life without the perks of being a hero. Naruto didn't even allow people to pay extra to hire him for missions. He was, after all, _still_ a genin. "You go have fun with Kiba and Shino, and I'll see you later, okay?" he said quietly.

Hinata studied his face and frowned. She was torn, it seemed. He offered her a strained smile. She relented. "Okay." She kissed his forehead and left, throwing on her chuunin vest. Naruto watched her leave and once she was sure she was gone, he fell onto the bed.

 _You should tell someone,_ Kurama offered. Naruto's eyes snapped open and he sat up with a shout. It was almost as if he was surprised by the voice. _It is not healthy._

Naruto closed his eyes and then opened them to see the fox. _What would they say?_ He asked. _I'm a hero of the village. The war was almost three years ago. They're expecting me to continue being that hero. I can't show fear and weakness, especially not in times of peace._

 _You are human._ Kurama answered. _As mortal and flawed as the rest of them._

Naruto turned away from the fox. He looked down at his remaining hand and clenched it. _Am I?_ he asked. _And do they believe that…? It's just a few nightmares, Kurama._ He smiled back at the creature. _Since when were you such a mother hen?_

Kurama scoffed and closed his eyes with a soft, comforting growl. _Think nothing of it, kit._

Naruto opened his eyes and he was back in his room. For the rest of the day, he went about his business. Kurama could not heal the pained limb, so nothing dulled it. He visited the hospital where Sakura was working. He looked at the bandaged shinobi and his hand began to shake. "Hey Naruto!" Sakura called. She ran to him and hugged him, but froze. "You're tense," she said, feeling his arm. It was solid, as if he was preparing for an attack. "What's wrong?" Silence. "…Naruto…?"

Naruto gasped and looked at her. He had been staring at a shinobi being treated for a head wound. For a moment, his blue eyes held no recognition in them and he looked at her as if she was a stranger. He shook his head. "N-nothing," he said with a smile. "I just came to ask how the arm's doing."

Sakura looked at him. "It's fine," she said. "I'm working on making it stronger so that we won't have to do this again." She smiled. "It was probably a mix of what happened on the moon and your mission. You should have let me look at it after the mood." Naruto nodded.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I thought it would be okay."

"Well, it should be ready soon."

Naruto wasn't listening. He was staring at a man who had been impaled in his shoulder. Flashes of Neji's body ran through his mind. Naruto backed away. "I… I gotta go!" he said suddenly. "Th-thanks, Sakura!" He didn't wait for Sakura to question him. He just hurried out of the hospital. His breathing came in swift, ragged breaths. He ran out of the building, shoving passed Iruka.

"Naruto," Iruka greeted.

"Leave me alone!" Naruto shouted. He took off running before his teacher could call out. Naruto ran home, locking his doors behind him. He even locked his bedroom door. He fell onto his bed and curled up. He found the embrace of sleep within moments…

 _Naruto opened his eyes to the sound of screaming. He looked around him. People were fleeing from a masked figure on top of a wild, ten-tailed beast. Naruto stood, staring at him, his eyes wide. "What's going on?" he shouted to the screaming masses. No one stopped. Someone pushed him forward from behind._

" _Save us!"_

 _Naruto shook his head. He was frozen. The masked man lunged to stand in front of him. He swung, punching Naruto in the stomach. Naruto stumbled back. The man came again, attacking from all sides. Naruto fought back, but no jutsu would work. "Kurama!" Naruto shouted, but the fox gave no response. Fear gripped him. He swung his missed arm, but the limb passed through the man. Pain tore through the arm, making Naruto scream. The pain was the worst it had ever been. Tears fell down his face and he grabbed the broken limb. He felt arms grabbing his from all sides and he thrashed wildly, howling in rage._

"Naruto!"

Naruto opened his eyes. He was standing with a shadow clone beside him and an unused Rasengan in his hand. He dispelled the jutsu, but as he looked at his surroundings, his face twisted in horror. The room was completely destroyed. That hadn't been the first Rasengan he had created that night. The shout he had heard wasn't just a dream. Kakashi stood in the room as well, his head bleeding from a wound that Naruto was sure he inflicted. Naruto looked at his bed and realized that if Hinata had been home, there was a good chance that he would have killed her.

"Are you calm now?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded slowly. "Good. Wanna tell me what happened?"

Naruto looked away. "Just a nightmare."

" _That_ wasn't a nightmare."

"Is anyone hurt?"

"We evacuated the building," Kakashi answered.

"Did I _hurt_ anyone?" Kakashi's silence was enough of an answer. Naruto sat down on the floor, holding his head in his hand.

"Naruto. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Naruto answered. Kakashi stared him down. "It was a nightmare. That's all."

Kakashi stepped towards him and Naruto shied away from him. "After Rin died, I struggled with nightmares too," he said quietly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No… It's fine. I'll find Captain Yamato to help me out in fixing this mess… Until then, I guess I can stay in a hotel."

Kakashi looked at the boy with worry. "Naruto…"

"I said I'm fine!" he snapped angrily. The look of fear that passed Kakashi's face shook Naruto to the core. He stood from the wreckage and pushed passed Kakashi. The Hokage grabbed Naruto's half arm. Pain ripped through him and he spun, punching Kakashi in the stomach.

Kakashi stared at him. "You need to come with me, Naruto… _Now."_

Naruto looked at him, his eyes wide. He shook his head. "I don't need your help!" He couldn't show weakness. The war had been years ago. Who was _he_ to be scared? He was their hero! He couldn't be afraid! He looked at Kakashi. "Please, sensei… I'm fine." He backed away from the man. He had to get out of the village and get some real sleep. "Please…" He continued backing away and then he ran.

 _To be continued…_

 _Author's Note: I decided to make this a two part episode! Hope you don't mind! See, night terrors in a boy as powerful as Naruto can be rather dangerous, and I did find in my research that phantom limb and PTSD can develop years after the injury or event. I figured a triggering event would be the prosthetic limb missing. Even in_ The Last _Naruto is seen checking the limb after punching Toneri. It just kind of shows that he wasn't entirely used to it._ I'm _also rather fascinated by the idea of Naruto kind of cracking under the pressure of all this attention after being rather secluded for most of his life. I REALLY hope I portrayed it well… The last thing I would want is to make light of this very real experience people go through._

 _I dunno when I'll get to part two._


	7. Episode 6: Roads

_Author's note: No, this isn't Part Two of Post Traumatic. I'm still working on that one. Here is a free-verse poem. I'm not good at poetry, and it's a little scary publishing one of my poems. This was for a contest where we had to take a quote from Naruto and write a song or a poem… My quote was "Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the road of life" by Kakashi._

 _Basically, this is a rant, spoken by Kakashi, explaining what that quote really means. Enjoy!_

 _Episode 6: Roads_

I'm always late

They get annoyed and angry

They don't believe that I got lost

But if they only knew the truth

I get lost on these roads we call life...

...

I walk a road that takes me home

To a stormy afternoon

When I opened the door

to the sickening smell of blood

And I knew instantly what it was

And I prayed to whatever god had forsaken me

That someone else had done it!

But I knew the truth

And I wondered if I could have done something different

If I could have been better

If I wasn't enough for him,

Because who leaves their seven year old son alone

in this godforsaken Hell we call home?!

...

I walk a road that takes me

to my long gone team

to the boy that could see through the darkness of me

to the weeping child I still was.

But I rejected him

Resented him

Because I couldn't let anyone else in

Because my father left me broken

He was a fool!

...no... I was the fool.

I followed every rule

to the letter

I swore I would never

make the same mistakes as my father.

It should have been me, not him,

to die under that boulder!

Why did he have to carry that weight on his shoulder?!

He was good and pure!

He deserved far more

Than my shattered self ever got!

...

You should have let me die!

...

I walk a road that takes me

to a failed mission;

A broken promise.

-She jumped in front of me!

It wasn't my fault!-

I woke amongst corpses in a sea of blood

I cried and I screamed and I clawed at my eyes

My dreams were haunted by her final good-bye.

Sleep eluded me like a faint dream

I will never wash her blood off my hands

How am I expected to stand

With this pain in my chest

I hear her voice whisper my name

Dear god, just let me sleep!

I feel my arm through her flesh

I smell the sweat on her face

I taste the bile in my throat

I see the tears fall from her eyes

...

Dear god, just let me die!

...

I walk a road that takes me

to the day that stupid boy was born.

My sensei gave his last breath

to this village I've begun to detest.

I don't mean to sound cruel,

but he should have let that boy die.

Why condemn him to a life of living alone?

He was a good man

Who only gave his best

But now he's in the ground just like the rest

and that boy will grow, unloved in the end,

and start this vicious cycle again.

...

And I realize I don't need this pain

I stand here with everything to gain

But I also stand in the freezing rain

Begging forgiveness from a lifeless stone!

Do you look down and see what you've done?

Who else can I blame for what I've become?

I don't want this misery,

I don't want this hurt,

But how do I breathe

When all I've loved is in dirt?!

...

I don't want them to know,

I don't want them to see

I don't want them to make the same mistakes as me.

So when I arrive late

and they yell out in anger

I wave with a great -fake-

smile on my face

"I got lost on the road of life"

What path did you take?

 _Author's Note: See? It's terrible. I kind of made Kakashi a little suicidal in it, didn't I? But can you REALLY blame the poor guy? As to who the poem is addressed to (like, who is Kakashi ranting to) I'll let ya'll decide! I actually had fun with this one…_


	8. OVA 1: Year of the Fox

_Author's Note: So, I got a prompt to write a cross-over. I know the Ninja Book is supposed to be canon, but I decided to share this little AU with you all! So, OVA? Or Bonus Episode...?_

 _OVA 1: Year of the Fox_

"You are troubled, Obito," the man observed without caring. His voice was cold, but the second one understood this.

"It is nothing, Lord Madara," the man answered, touching the side of his face that was drastically disfigured. "I was merely… thinking."

Madara laughed without humor. He waved his hand and the gardeners quickly cleared the area. "Pray tell, my disciple, what do you think?"

Obito shrugged and sat beside Madara, smoothing out his red and black kimono. "It is the first time in generations that they will all be here," he observed.

"The Banquet will be perfect, child."

"I don't that, my lord," Obito said quickly. "I don't worry about the Banquet, I worry about the child."

Madara sipped his tea without looking at Obito, intentionally keeping his attention elsewhere. "He will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I have no need to discuss this with you, Obito. The boy will be fine."

"Of course, my lord, but I feel we should at least invite him…"

Madara slammed his glass on the table, cracking it and spilling hot tea on his hand, but he didn't flinch. "The Fox will NOT eat at my table!" he snapped.

Obito narrowed his eyes and stood slowly. "Of course," he whispered. He started inside.

"Where are you going?"

Obito stopped in the doorway, his bare feet clenching on the cool wood. "To oversee the preparations," he answered. "We want to make sure the "family" is greeted with the perfection you promised them."

Madara shrugged and went back to watching the garden while Obito moved silently through the barren halls of the house. Even though it was big enough to house all their guests and more, it was a grand waste of space during any other time.

He continued through the compound until he came across a locked door. He placed a hand on it and frowned before unlocking it and making his way inside, descending down the steps into the darkness below. He sat on a chair at the bottom of the stairs that faced into the darkness where the light of the door did not reach.

"You aren't going to light a lantern?" a voice asked on the other side of the darkness. Obito clenched his fists and didn't answer. "Why are you here?" the voice asked finally. Obito sighed. He heard the sound of chains scraping across the stone floor.

"They should be arriving soon," Obito answered softly.

"Is my god letting me out?" the boy asked with a slightest glimmer of hope in his voice.

"No," Obito said bluntly. He thought he could hear the hope die in the child. He looked up and found himself staring at glowing red eyes in the cage. Obito stood and took a few steps back. "I'm sorry."

"Why did you come?"

Obito sighed again. He had no answer for that. Why had he come? It wasn't to torture the child, but he couldn't think of any way to spin this so that it didn't seem like that was his only intention. "I'm sorry," he repeated softly. He started back up the stair, but stopped as the chains moved on the floor again. A hand reached out from the bars. It was covered in cuts and scars from where the boy had clawed at the walls that held him. Obito bit his lip. The Fox didn't belong to this world; not to the Zodiac. It was his curse; to be forever caged. That was what had been decreed thousands of years ago. Many before him had lived and died in these very conditions, and many more after would follow in the footsteps.

Obito continued up the stairs, clenching his fists. He had taken the boy from his parents. He had been the one who watched the child grow, only allowed outside on nights. The others didn't know there was another Fox, though Kakashi would be the first to tear the bars if he knew that their teacher and friend's son lived there.

Obito stood at the top of the stairs and sighed, closing the door behind him. He had to make sure everything was perfect. He put a hand on the door as he locked it. "I'm sorry… Naruto…"

 _Author's Note: So, yeah, this is a Fruits Basket/Naruto crossover. Of course, I took some liberties with some of the animals, because Naruto being a "cat" made no sense, but other than a few animals changing, the basic lore is left intact, like the transforming with a hug. And, as you can see, the tone is MUCH darker than Fruits Basket (though, honestly, it's pretty dark already!) Hope you enjoyed!_


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